Overview
- The Independence-variant littoral combat ship completed sustained operations across U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet waters with visits to Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, and Singapore.
- Training emphasized interoperability through CARAT events, AUMX 2025 in Batam, and Sama Sama 2025 near Palawan with live-fire, maneuvering, flight, small-boat, and VBSS drills.
- In January 2026 the ship became the first U.S. warship to moor pierside at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, hosting Adm. Samuel Paparo alongside more than 100 military and government officials.
- Navy leaders praised the cruise as a milestone for the LCS program that demonstrated steady presence in strategically important waterways.
- Local reporting by KGTV said about 100 sailors returned with the ship and noted the deployment involved no combat operations.